Seahawks interviewed Ravens assistant with Mike Macdonald ties before hiring Klint Kubiak

Travis Switzer has been on the Ravens staff since 2016.

The Seattle Seahawks have hired their offensive coordinator, bringing in former New Orleans Saints play-caller Klint Kubiak on board for his third OC job in the NFL.

There weren’t too many names linked to the Seahawks OC position during their three-week search, but we did have another candidate revealed after Kubiak’s hiring was made official. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Baltimore Ravens run game coordinator Travis Switzer interviewed for the position during the weekend.

Switzer, who is not related to Super Bowl and national championship winning coach Barry Switzer, is a former college football offensive lineman for the University of Akron. He has previous ties to Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald from Macdonald’s days on Baltimore’s staff. Switzer just completed his first season as Baltimore’s run game coordinator, which must have been a dream opportunity given his predecessors didn’t get to scheme a run game for Derrick Henry.

Here’s more on Switzer from the Ravens themselves:

After earning an invitation to the Miami Dolphins’ rookie minicamp as an offensive lineman in 2015, Switzer soon transitioned into the coaching ranks. He originally joined the Ravens in an administrative – performance role for the 2017 season. From 2019-20, Switzer served as an offensive coaching analyst, where he helped guide the wide receivers group, before working closely with the tights ends in his elevated role as offensive quality control coach in 2021. He continued to help guide Baltimore’s tight ends as an offensive assistant in 2022 and offensive quality control coach again in 2023.

I think it’s worth acknowledging that even though Switzer didn’t get the job, Kubiak’s appointment does not mean the Seahawks are done with retooling their coaching staff. If, say, offensive line coach Scott Huff is not retained, Switzer could be seen as a possible replacement. If Switzer isn’t hired, that continues the trend of Macdonald generally not bringing in Ravens assistants to his coaching staff.